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Kalaa, El (1988)

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An unexpected Algerian tearjerker., 17 August 2004

Author: spacemuse1 from Wales, UK

Village attitudes, the male-female divide, polygamy, hypocrisy and human cruelty all colour this tale of a search for love in the desert. Kadour is a rich yet naive young man hoping for the respectable and happy marriage that is expected of him but is punished at every turn. A critical look at the Honour and polygamy system in nomadic cultures where both men and women are victims.

In a culture where the opposite sexes are only united in marriage, differences not tolerated and where status and village gossip determine one's fate, tragedy is inevitable.

In some ways this is comparable to Safar e Ghandahar - Kandahar (2001), it challenges our preconceived notions of Arabic cultures and to some extent justifies them: but this a story that could happen anywhere where traditions are followed religiously and a community is mainly preoccupied with itself.

This is one of the very few films I have seen that made me cry.

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